North American Turbocoupe Organization



Dimmer for Equalizer
Paul Offline
Junior Member
#1
OK, while we are on the topic of wiring and dim lights, those on my premium sound EQ seem to be acting up...maybe I just never noticed this before, but I'm pretty sure they dimmed with the panel switch like everything else before. Now, when I turn on the headlights the little frequency sliders all go out, unless I dim the dash lights, and then the sliders slowly get BRIGHTER! Could this be a ground problem, and if so, where?

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1987 TurboCoupe; black 5 speed; all options except leather and moonroof; all stock.

[This message has been edited by Paul (edited 11-26-2001).]
1987 TurboCoupe; black 5 speed; all options except leather and moonroof; all stock.
2006 Chevrolet Express 3500 15-passenger van; all stock
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Walsted Offline
Posting Freak
#2
Does the radio dim with the equalizer and opposite of dash lighting, or does it dim with dash lighting, opposite of the equalizer?

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Mike Walsted - Nato member
1986 5-speed TurboCoupe .
Mike Walsted - Sold my 1986 5-speed TurboCoupe
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Paul Offline
Junior Member
#3
Quote:Originally posted by Walsted:
Does the radio dim with the equalizer and opposite of dash lighting, or does it dim with dash lighting, opposite of the equalizer?


Mike: thanks for the response...the radio dims with the dash lighting. The EQ slider lights dim opposite of the dash and stereo lights.
1987 TurboCoupe; black 5 speed; all options except leather and moonroof; all stock.
2006 Chevrolet Express 3500 15-passenger van; all stock
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Walsted Offline
Posting Freak
#4
Okay, looking at the '86 EVTM, I can't figure out how that is working that way - the radio and equalizer both get their juice from the same source. If yours is wired like an '86, there should be a LB/R wire that runs to both the radio and the equalizer. I would check that wire to make sure the connection to the equalizer is good, but I can't help any more than that. Sorry.

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Mike Walsted - Nato member
1986 5-speed TurboCoupe .
Mike Walsted - Sold my 1986 5-speed TurboCoupe
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segfaultxr7 Offline
Posting Freak
#5
The only way I can think that this would happen is for the EQ's dimmer lights to get a constant 12 volts from somewhere, and it's using the dimmer wire for a ground. When the lights are dim the voltage difference would be high (if 3 volts are going to the dimmed lights, then 12-3=9 volts would be going through the EQ lights). When the lights are bright, like say 10 volts, then only 2 volts are going through the EQ.

That's just a wild guess. Hopefully Jeff K will respond; he is really good with electronics so maybe he can support or disprove that idea. I'd suggest looking behind the EQ for signs of rewiring, pinched/frayed wires, etc.
88 TC 5-speed
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Jeff K Offline
Administrator
#6
Havent messes with an EQ since I ripped out all the stock stereo equipment, and put in some decent stuff, but if I remember correctly, the "lights" in the little sliders are actually light emitting diodes (LEDs). They will only light with current flowing thru them in one direction, so the dimmer wire to the EQ (LB/R) still has to be positive w.r.t. ground, or they wouldnt light up at all. I am at work, and dont have my EVTM here, so I cant have a look and see if the lighting ground is a seperate wire from the electrinics ground in the EQ. I do remember the EQ wiring is very strange, though. As segfaultxr7 suggested, I would pull the EQ and look for a bad connection in one of the connectors or freyed wires. Find all ground wires (black) coming from the EQ, and be sure they have continuity to ground. Tap into the LB/R dimmer wire with a pin (like tapping into the TPS wires to measure TPS vpltage) or backprobe the connector to be sure the voltage on the LB/R wire is decreasing as you rotate the dimmer wheel to dim the lights.

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Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 20 psi, forced air intercooler, water injection, bypass valve, Ranger roller cam, subframes, etc., etc.. // 86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP nitrous, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.... // 91 Escort: Bone stock winter car // 00 Windstar (wifes vehicle)
Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 24 psi, forced air IC, water injection, BPV, Ranger cam, subframes, etc., etc.
86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP N2O, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.
11 Crown Vic Interceptor
14 Toyota Camry (wifes car)
95 Taurus GL Vulcan winter beater
67 Honda 450 Super Sport - completely customized
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